Recipe(tried): NASA Barbecue Rub and Barbecued Beef Brisket

NASA BARBECUE RUB

This is the BBQ rub recipe that NASA used for meals prepared for the last Space Shuttle mission, STS-135 in July 2011.

The original NASA recipe was a formula expressed in percentage of each ingredient used (by weight). It has been converted to volume for home use.

1/2 cup table salt (or 3/4 cup Kosher salt)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
3 tbsp chili powder
3 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp celery salt
1/2 cup ground oregano
4 tsp ground white pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper

Mix well. Store in an airtight container.

Use at least 1 tablespoon of rub per 1 lb of meat. Wrap rub coated meat in plastic wrap and allow to marinate in the fridge overnight before cooking.

Makes 1 pound = about 2 1/2 cups

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ORIGINAL NASA BBQ RUB FORMULA
(given in % of ingredients by total weight. Similar to a baker's formula.)

PERCENT:
29.51 salt
23.61 sugar granulated
17.71 brown sugar, lightly packed
5.90 chili powder
5.90 paprika
4.43 celery salt
3.54 ground oregano
2.95 ground white pepper
2.21 garlic powder
1.48 ground black pepper
1.48 ground cumin
0.79 dry mustard
0.49 ground cayenne pepper

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NASA BBQ RUB FORMULA/RECIPE
(converted to grams)

100.00 % = 453.592 gm = 1 pound

GRAMS:
133.855 gm salt
107.093 gm granulated sugar
80.331 gm brown sugar, lightly packed
26.762 gm chili powder
26.762 gm paprika
20.094 gm celery salt
16.057 gm ground oregano
13.381 gm ground white pepper
10.024 gm garlic powder
6.71 gm ground black pepper
6.71 gm ground cumin
3.583 gm dry mustard
2.222 gm ground cayenne pepper

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BEEF BRISKET, BARBECUED, SLICED
(original NASA press release with BBQ Rub formula.)

DRY RUB
(Ingredients Percent by weight):
Salt 29.51
Sugar granulated 23.61
Brown sugar, lightly packed 17.71
Chili powder 5.90
Paprika 5.90
Celery salt 4.43
Ground oregano 3.54
Ground white pepper 2.95
Garlic powder 2.21
Ground black pepper 1.48
Ground cumin 1.48
Dry mustard 0.79
Ground cayenne pepper 0.49
100.00

Trim beef brisket of fat and rub dry rub mixture into the meat surface (Dry Rub shall be at least 8 grams per pound of raw brisket). Wrap the brisket in plastic wrap or suitable material and hold at 40 degrees F (4C) overnight.

Cook briskets in a regular oven set at 235 degrees F (113C), baste after 3 hours with barbecue sauce. Cook another two hours until internal temperature is 175-180 degrees F (79-82C) baste with barbecue sauce and let sit in the oven for one more hour.

The brisket shall be sliced on a meat slicer set at 1/8 inch (3.0 mm). Serve 2.8 to 3.5 oz (80-100 g) of sliced brisket with add one ounce (30 g) of hickory smoke flavored barbecue sauce. "

LINKS TO ORIGINAL RECIPE AT NASA:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts135/american_meal.html
http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/567294main_American_meal_Formulations.pdf